Drunks (1997)
At the beginning of a nightly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, Jim seems particularly troubled. His sponsor encourages him to talk that night, the first time in seven months, so he does - and leaves the meeting right after. As Jim wanders the night, searching for some solace in his old stomping grounds, bars and parks where he bought drugs, the meeting goes on, and we hear the stories of survivors and addicts - some, like Louis, who claim to have wandered in looking for choir practice, who don't call themselves alcoholic, and others, like Joseph, whose drinking almost caused the death of his child - as they talk about their lives at the meeting
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they say in the program "one day at a time". some days are harder than others. DRUNKs represents that better than any film i have ever seen. I am the member of a twelve step program. I think it is one of the greatest international communities that exists. it has changed countless lives and i am hard pressed to think or find one person who's life hasn't been affected positively by it's existence. it is a secular religion -if you will.I believe this is the most realistic and resonant film that has ever taken as it's focus the program and it's demographic busting community.i think the level of talent that came together to make this is a testament to it's quality.it is not a rose colored take on the community. it reflects as does the program the myriad ways that people use, don't use, succeed and fail.it is the truth as i experience it.
Since Richard Lewis is known primarily as a comic, it was surprising how well he handled the intense drama in this movie. I think he must have been drawing from personal experience, at least a little, because it all seems very real when he's on the screen. Review speaks openly about plot points that you are better off not knowing...Movie opens at an AA meeting, at which Lewis reluctantly shares his feelings. Soon after he bolts from the meeting and is on the trail of a bottle, even though he's been on the wagon for two years. The meeting goes on without him, and you get many monologues. They range from excellent (Lisa Gay Hamilton, Howard Rollins, Spalding Gray, Amanda Plummer) to acceptable (Faye Dunaway, Dianne Wiest) to annoying (Parker Posey, Calista Flockhart). Sam Rockwell is very good but does not have that much to do. The sharing of emotions seems a little improvised by some of them. As the meeting continues, you see Lewis go off the wagon and become a very angry drunk. He goes to a bar he used to frequent and insults the new owner (Christopher Lawford) by attempting to shoot some heroin at a table! Not even in the mens room! But it makes sense because by now Lewis is raw, and I bet liquor hits you like a ton of bricks after being off it for so long. It comes together at the end, as you see Lewis at a different AA meeting, about to start all over again. 7/10. Engrossing while you are watching it and interesting, but not too much for the memory bank.
This is Peter Cohn's film adaptation of a Gary Lennon play, and as is the case with most theatre to film crossovers, there is a rumbling sense of unfulfillment. Each fleeting view into the lives of these sad souls is too brief, never allowing the time to really absorb any one character, as you might do were you to watch an actual performance of the play. That said, Mr Cohn has assembled a very fine cast indeed, and although the roles are delivered in a "wait your turn..speak..sit down" style, you can see why a couple of these actors are considered 'greats' in their field. Richard Lewis offers an adequate performance as 'Jim' and is the only one afforded the opportunity of giving his character depth. Elsewhere, Howard Rollins, Calista Flockhart and Faye Dunaway all do a pleasing job with what little they're given, while Amanda Plummer and Sam Rockwell are criminally under-used. It is however, the stalwart skills of both Dianne Wiest and Spalding Grey that lift this film. Along with 'Rich' the bar-man adding unintentional comic relief (watch how he throws those coasters down!), they almost justify the rental fee. So grab a bottle of bourbon, sit back and wallow in the self-pity of others. It might just cheer you up.
An inside peek at the goings-on of an unusually attractive Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Richard Lewis's character exists to provide a moral center for the film as it examines his desperate efforts to stay sober. The various members of the AA group provide different glimpses at what contributes to alcoholism and demonstrate that there is no one profile for what constitutes a "drunk."There are very nice performances in this film, particularly those of a pre-Ally McBeal Calista Flockhart and Parker Posey. The film's scene stealer and the most memorable drunk of all, however, is monologuist Spalding Grey, doing a hilarious turn as a church choir member who shows up at the wrong church. In the midst of explaining his blunder to the group he rhapsodizes brilliantly on the importance of Guinness in his life and discovers quietly that gee, maybe he too has a drinking problem.Overall the individual performances divert attention from the main storyline and provide more of a center for the film than Lewis, whose story is ultimately uninteresting. But check it out for Spalding Grey, who is probably the most natural actor in the film and a true pleasure to watch.